Electric door-operating mechanism



F. E. WILTERDING AND N. N. BUCK.

ELECTRIC DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR 26, I921. 1,430,206.

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Patented Sept. 26,1922.

F. E. WILTERDING AND N. N. BUCK.

ELECTRIC DOOR OPERATING MECHANISM.

. APPLICATION FILED APR, 26, 1921. 1 430206.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

7 F01. )ST E. WILTERDING AND NORMAN N. BUCK, F EAU CLAIRE, WISCONSIN,

' ASSIGNOIRS T0 SAID BUCK.

ELECTRIC DOOR-OPERATING- MECHANISM.

Application filed April 26, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FOREST E. Wilmin- DING and NORMAN N. BUCK, both citizens of the United States, and residents of Fan Claire, in the county of Eau Claire and State of lVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Door-Operating Mechanism; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

Our invention relates to improvements in mechanism for opening and closing large rolling or sliding doors such as garage doors, warehouse doors, freight shed doors, and the like, in which the only manual operation performed is the pressing. of a button located either near or remote from the door to be operated.

The principal object of our invention is to construct an electrically operated mechanism of this kind that will be entirely automatic, depending only upon the pressing of any one of a pluraiity of push buttons for opening the door and the pressing of the same or another one of the buttons for closing the same.

A further object of the invention is to construct a device of this kind which is adapted to be operated either by direct current or by alternating current of single or two phase or three phase type.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means by which the automatic mechanism may be disconnected, and the door operated manually in case the electric current fails or the mechanism gets out of order.

ith the above and other objects in view which will be apparent as the description proceeds, our invention resides in certain pecularities of construction which are fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the door and its operating mechanism.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the automatically operated means foropenin the switch operating circuit.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure eiis a vertical longitudinal view through the switch mechanism for operating the door, and

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view looking from the right as viewed in Figure 4,

Serial No. 464,587.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the door to be operated which is supported b the brackets 11 so as to slide on the trac 12 which is attached to the side of the building. At each end of the door are mounted the attaching members 13 and 14 to which are secured the ends of a flexible operating member 15 which passes around the sheaves 16 and is wrapped around the drum 17. The drum is carried by a shaft 17 and is provided with a peripheral helical groove 18 in which the flexible element 15 is wound. The drum is yieldably held by the spring 19 to take up the lateral thrust which may be exerted by the flexible element as it is wound around the drum.

The shaft 17 is rotatably mounted in the brackets 20 and 21, which are supported on a platform 22 secured to the side of the building above the. track 12. The motor 23 is also supported by the platform 22 and carries the power shaft 24.- which is operatively connected to the shaft 17 by means of the worm gearing 25.

Thus it will be seen that when the motor is driven in one direction, the door will be opened and when the motor is driven in the opposite direction the door will be closed.

In the present instance we have illustrated the motor 23 as a three phase alternating current motor, which is connected with the wires 26 and 26 and 26 as illustrated in Figure 4. The main supply wires are shown at 27, 28 and 29 in the same figure, and may be connected to the wires leading to the motor by means of the rotary oil switch located in the box 30, which is preferably filled with No. 12 transel oil.

This switch comprises a shaft 31 rotatably mounted in the box 30 and on this shaft are carried six discs designated by the numerals 32 to- 37 inclusive. The discs 32, 34 and 36 are each provided with oppositely disposed contact points 38 and 39 which are electrically connected by the member 40, as shown in Figure 5. The discs 33, 35 and 37 are provided with similar contact points 41 and 42, which are electrically connected by the member 43. These last named contact points, as will be noted from Figure 5, are disposed midway, that is, at an angle of 90 degrees with the contact points 38 and 39., Within the box 30 are also mounted contact brushes 44 adapted to connect the discs with the wires leading to the motor, and oppositely-disposed contact brushes 45 adapted .to connect the discs with the main supply wires 27, 23 and 29. v

\Vhen the contact points 38 and 39 form a contact with their respective brushes, the current from the wire 27 will pass directly through the disc 36 to the wire 26. Current from the wire 28 will pass through the disc 34 to the wire 26 and the current from the wire 29 will pass through disc 32 to the wire 26 and the motor 23 will be driven in its normal forward direction. As the discs are rotated, the contact points 38 and 39 will be disconnected and after a quarter turn the contact points 41 and 42 will be connected to their respective brushes. Current from the wire 27 will then pass through branch 48, disc 33 and branch 49 to the wire 26". Currentfrom the wire 28 will pass through the branch 50, disc 35 and branch 51 to the wire 26*. 29 will pass through branch 46, disc 37. branch 47 to the wire 26. The motor 23 will then be operated in the reverse direction.

For operating the switch in box 30. a. ratchet wheel 52 is mounted on the shaft 31. This ratchet wheel is provided with eight teeth, which are adapted to be successively engaged by the dog 53. This dog is advanced to rotate the switch 45 degrees or the distance of one tooth by means of the solenoid 54 having a core 55 on whiclrthe dog is carried. After each advance the sole-- noid is de-energized and the dog is returned past the next tooth by the tension spring 56.

The solenoid 54 is connected, as shown in Figure 2, by an open circuit 57 to the main supply wires and this circuit may be closed to energize the solenoid by pressing any one of the push buttons 58. The circuit through the solenoid is also provided with a branch circuit 57, which may be closed automatically by the door when it reaches the limit of its movement in either direction.

Means for closing the circuit through branch 57 and energizing the solenoid comprises a piston 59 mounted on each end of the door. When the door reaches the end of its movement in either direction, one of the pistons 59 is received within the corresponding cylinder or dash pot 60 which is mounted on the side of the building. The piston compresses the air within the dash pot and forces it through the vent 61, as shown in Figure 2. into the laterally disposed cylinder 62. \Vithin the cylinder 62 is mounted a piston 63 which carries at its other end a contact point 64. The stem of the piston 63 is closely fitted in the head 65 of the cylinder and the compressed air rushing through vent 61 forces the contact head 64 into contact with the spring leaves 66. The contact is maintained until the air pressure is reduced by the air leaking through the Current from the wire.

bleed hole 67 whereupon the spring 68 returns the piston 63 to its former position and again opens the circuit.

WVhenever the current fails or for any other reason it is desirable to operate the door manually, the worm gear 25 may be disconnected by the following means. A hand lever 69 is mounted to cooperate with the segment 70, as shown in Figure 1. When the lever is moved over to the left the connecting rod 71 which is connected to one of the bearings of the shaft 17 will be pulled down in opposition to the spring 72 and the drum 17 will then be free to rotate without operating the motor.

The operation of our device may be briefly summarized as follo rs:

When the door is closed and the rotary switch is disconnected from the circuit any one of the push bottons-53 may be pressed to energize the solenoid 54. This will rotate the switch 45 degrees and bring the contact points 38 and 39 into contact with their respective brushes and the motor 23 will operate in the forward direction to rotate the drum 17 and open the door. As soon as the solenoid has been operated the push button is released and the dog 53 is drawn back behind the next tooth on the ratchet 52.

As soon as the door reaches the limit of its movement, the contact points 64 and 66 are closed and the solenoid is again energized to rotate the switch through another are of 45- degrees thus disconnecting the motor. To close the door one of the push buttons 58 is again pressed and the switch is rotated to bring the contact points 41 and 42 into contact with their respective brushes. The motor is then rotated in a reverse direction until the door is closed, whereupon the switch will be again rotated to a point 180 degrees from the original starting point. Upon again opening the door, the above described operation is repeated.

7 While we have shown and described our invention in connection with a three phase alternating current. it will be readily understood that it may be readily adapted for use in connection with a single or two phase or direct current system. The only change which is necessary to adapt it to these different systems, is to substitute the proper kind of motor and switch. for operatively connecting the same.

It will also be understood that'while we have described only one embodiment of our invention, many'modifications in the structural details may he madewithout departing from the spirit of the'invention;

We claim as our invention:

- 1. In combinatioma slidable door, an electric motor operable when energized to successively open and close the-door,a piston projecting laterally from the door, a dash pot in position to receive the piston when the door approaches the limit of its movement in that direction, and means operable by the entrance of the piston into the dash pot to interrupt the circuit through the motor.

2. In combination, a slidable door, a reversible electric motor operable when energized to open or close the door, pneumatic means for cushioning the door as it reaches the limit of its movement in either direction and means operable by said pneumatic means to interruptthe circuit through the motor.

3. In a device of the character described, a sliding door, electrically operated means for openin and closing said door, a switch for contro ing said means, a solenoid for operating said switch, an electric circuit for energizing said solenoid, a manually operable circuit closer for closing the circuit through the solenoid to render said means operative to open or close said door, a parallel circuit through said solenoid, a pneumatically operable circuit closer which is operated by the door upon reaching the limit of its movement for closing-said aral-' lel circuit to again energize said so enoid to render said first named means inoperative. I

4; In a device of the characterdescribed, a sliding. door, electrically operated means for opening and closing said door, a switch for controlling said means, a solenoid for operating said switch, an electric circuit for energizing said solenoid, a manually operable circuit closer for closing the circuit through the solenoid to render said means operative to open or close said door, 40'

a parallel circuit through said solenoid, a circuit closer in said parallel circuit comprising a contact member, a piston connected with said contact member and operated by said door upon reaching the limit of its movement for closin said parallel circuit to again energize sai solenoid to render said first named means inoperative.

5. In a device of the character described, '60

a sliding door, electrically operated means for openin and closing said door, a switch for control ing said means, a solenoid for operating said switch, an electric circuit for energizing said solenoid, a manually operable circuit closer for closing the circuit through the solenoid to render saidmeans 'o erative to open'or close said door, a parmovement whereby said first named piston is operated toclos'e' saidfparallel circuit to again energizejthe solenoid to render said electrically operated means inoperative.

y 111* testimony that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto set outhands at Eau Claire, in the county of Eau Claire and State of Wisconsin.

FOREST E. WILTERDING. NORMAN N. BUCK. 

